


Soft Edges

by Enderon



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Nightmare, a little bit of blood at the beginning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 04:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12027993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enderon/pseuds/Enderon
Summary: Grog has a nightmare and finds reassurance in a not really all that surprising place





	Soft Edges

**Author's Note:**

> This was a fic I wrote for someone for critmas a while ago, and I decided it would be good to post it here.

_Grog growled and bared his teeth in a snarling grin as, what seemed like an entire herd of large, frothing, lizard creatures with spikes and acid and shit all over them, came rushing towards him. Gripping the blood axe tight in his grip he laughed, a loud and belly turning sound, as he gleefully imbedded the blade into the nearest creatures head. His single laugh turned into gleeful yelling as he lost himself in the fight, amidst all of the crushed bones, broken skin, and the huge amounts of thick, red blood, painting both himself and the ground crimson._

_Suddenly, a commanding presence pulled him from the haze of the fight. Turning to the sight, Grog’s eyes went wide before narrowing into a vicious and menacing snarl, all of the glee drained from him in a single glance._

_Standing, not 20 feet away, was a laughing and grinning Kevdak. The behemoth of a goliath gave his nephew a look filled with absolute hatred and mockery, and Grog felt himself grip onto the axe even tighter._

_With a roar, he threw the axe at Kevdak with all his might, before his vision turned red with anger._

_As soon as he heard the satisfying sound of a blade hitting skin, the haze lifted from his eyes, but what he saw before him made his stomach drop as nothing else could._

_Kneeling on the ground, where once Kevdak stood, Pike clutched at a blade embedded into her stomach. A blade that, to Grog’s horror, was not his trusty blood axe, but was instead the ‘full’ Kraven Edge._

_The goliath could not speak and could barely breathe. He just stared at the shaking gnome, bent over the blade before him._

_Finally, she looked up at him. Tears rolled from her eyes; eyes filled with horror and betrayal._

_“Grog,” she croaked out, making Grog’s heart stop altogether, “Why?”_

Grog yelled as he jolted up into a sitting position, his hand instinctively going towards his blood axe, before he realized what had happened.

It had just been a stupid dream. But just because it was a dream, did not mean that Grog was sated.

As fast as he could, he jumped to his feet and made his way out of the training room and up the many stairs of Scanlan’s mansion. Out in the main foyer, he paid no mind to the ghostly servants who seemed to be giving him questioning looks as he barreled past and up the stairs to the floor in which the rest of Vox Machina took their rest.

Once he had reached that floor, he slowed so that he was no longer moving with crashing thumps, hoping desperately not to wake anyone and be found.

Making his way to the end of the hall, he stopped at the door just before the last, and hesitated a moment, before slowly opening it. Peeking inside, he noticed that a small fire was going in the fire place, making it feel warm and safe. Moving his gaze onto the bed, his breathing seemed to slow as he finally caught sight of the light haired figure curled up on top of the outrageously large bed. He watched her for several moments, making sure he saw the rise and fall of her steady breathing, before giving a silent nod and quietly closing the door behind himself.

She was alright.

She was safe.

She was alive.

Once more he hesitated at the door, finding that he did not wish to return to the training room yet, and especially not to sleep. Instead, he carefully sat down on the floor, leaning against the door behind him.

Letting out a shaky sigh, he closed his eyes, feeling exhausted suddenly.

“What’s up big guy?”

Opening his eyes, Grog peered down at the strangely bright and awake Scanlan stood next to him. The gnome didn’t look ‘worried’ per se, but something about him seemed bothered to the goliath.

“Nuthin.” Grog mumbled, resting his face in a meaty palm and giving the gnome a tired look.

Scanlan nodded, but even so, he didn’t seem to believe it when Grog said ‘nuthin’ and instead opted to sit to the side of the Goliath. After a moment, he moved so that he was partially leaning against Grog.

This had Grog fidgeting for several moments, before finally he caved.

“I ad a bad dream.” He announced, making sure to avoid meeting the gnome’s eyes.

Scanlan gave only a hum as a form of acknowledgement. Narrowing his eyes, Grog pointedly looked down at the gnome. Scanlan was not returning the look, seeming to be looking elsewhere.

“Scanlan,” this finally seemed to get the gnome looking at him, “Are you afraid a me?”

He expected a shocked gasp or at least some bit of surprise. But whatever Scanlan felt, he’d always been to good at hiding such things for Grog to pick up on. Scanlan closed his eyes and tapped his lip with a tiny finger, before a smirk curled onto his features.

“I was, once,” he admitted, chuckling as though telling some private joke, “I mean, I’m so small, and you’re so big, and you’re so blood thirsty, and you didn’t seem to trust anyone, and I’ve always been untrustworthy. I always figured it was only a matter of time before you squashed me with your hand or something just for annoying you.” Suddenly a fond look settled on Scanlan’s face and, as Grog noticed he sometimes did, he appeared rather old, “But then, it didn’t take very long, but, I realized very quickly, that I didn’t need to be afraid of you. Sure you can squash me like a bug without breaking a sweat, but I know that you won’t. Cause we’re family now, and you protect your family, don’t you Grog?”

Thinking on the gnome’s words, Grog looked down at his hands, still wrapped in the titanstone knuckles. He clenched and unclenched them, feeling the power in them, as well as noticing just how much larger they were than Scanlan’s head.

“M’scared,” he whispered, still staring at his hands, “Lots of the time.”

Looking down, he missed the every rare and unexpected look of surprise cross Scanlan’s face though the hitch of breath gave him a pretty good idea of the effect of his words.

“M’scared of hurting all a you guys. Cause yer all so small, and breakable, specially you n Pike,” he clenched his hands into fists again, still refusing to look at Scanlan, “This ain’t the first bad dream I’ve ad. See, most of em are about Pike, and what I did to her, with Kraven Edge you know.”

Finally, Grog turned to look at Scanlan. Strangely, for the first time, the gnome was giving him a sympathetic look. And, strangely enough, Grog wasn’t all that bothered by it.

“M’scared,” he continued on, making sure to look Scanlan in the eye, hoping to make his point clear to the gnome, “That one day, imma go into one a my rages, but I’m not gonna be able to tell the difference between my enemies, and my friends.”

At that, Scanlan snorted and shook his head, making Grog frown. Was the gnome not taking him seriously?

“Now that’s a ridiculous fear buddy,” Scanlan insisted, wrinkling his nose in amusement, “Cause I already know for a fact that wouldn’t happen. Remember what happened in the Feywild?” At Grog’s confused look, Scnalan rolled right along, “I was caught in that ‘happy’ campsite’s curse, and you had to go into a rage in order to save me. Did you hurt me then?”

“No.” Grog admitted, now remembering the instance Scanlan had been referring to. Though he wasn’t entirely sure if that would help his fear, cause he wasn’t afraid of things that already happened, but afraid of things that might happen. He was afraid of loosing the control he had. Couldn’t Scanlan get that?

The gnome gave a quiet chuckle and pat Grog on the arm, leaning his full weight against the Goliath in, what Grog assumed was meant to be comfort.

“Don’t worry about it big guy. We’ll be fine.”

But Grog still didn’t feel all that convinced.

Suddenly, the door behind them was flung wide open. Startled, the goliath and the gnome fell onto their backs, dazed for a moment, only to look up and see the bright locks of Pike grinning down at them.

“You know, when other people are trying to sleep, it’s best to not talk so loudly, especially when you’re right outside their door.” She laughed, wagging her finger in a chiding manner.

“Terribly sorry angel,” Scanlan laughed, easily sitting up and flashing her a smile, “We got a bit worked up.”

But Grog couldn’t laugh because his heart had dropped into his stomach. What if Pike had heard what they had been talking about? He didn’t want to worry her. She had enough stuff to worry about on her own without mixing him all into it.

Though, if she had heard what he said, she gave no inclination as she moved back to let him also move into a sitting position.

“Well, since you two are here, why don’t you join me in my bed,” she laughed, gesturing behind her, “I’m afraid that it’s just too big and lonesome for my tiny little self.”

“Aw, Pike, asking us to share your bed and we’ve not even been on our first date?” Scanlan laughed, snorting a little as she gave him a light swat on the head, tough she was laughing as well.

Making their way towards it, Grog lay down on the bed first, on his back so the gnomes could both curl up on top of him. Scanlan perched himself on the Goliath’s chest, curling himself up almost like a cat. Pike, meanwhile, had chosen to curl herself around Grog’s neck, her warmth making him feel very drowsy.

Suddenly very sleepy, he closed his eyes.

“Hey, Grog?” Opening one eye, he looked towards Pike.

She smiled at him, that warm, soft, gentle smile that had stole his heart and loyalty all those years ago. Giving him a light peck on the cheek, she whispered; “I’m not scared of you buddy,” before curling back up to sleep.

Grog lay there for a few moments, silently staring up the ceiling. Finally, a smile made it’s way onto his face and he closed his eyes, bringing his arms up to curl a protective hand over each of his gnomes, before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
